A safer, friendlier Avenue Road is almost within reach – but we need your help for a final push! We’re asking our supporters to complete the Avenue Road Study survey to show you strongly support the plan. You can also attend a public drop-in consultation on Thursday October 19.
After many years of advocacy by the Avenue Road Safety Coalition (Walk Toronto is a member), the City of Toronto has finally prepared a real plan to quickly narrow Avenue Road between Bloor and St. Clair to four lanes of motor traffic. The plan will slow vehicle speeds, create a safer and more attractive pedestrian experience, and install bike lanes from Bloor to Davenport.
But the plan needs strong support from local residents and people across Toronto in order to get City Council and City staff to move forward with it and provide the funding needed to make it happen. That’s why we need you to fill out the City’s survey and, if possible, show up at the City consultation on Oct. 19.
The survey will take you through parts or all of the plan in detail (you can choose how much to look at). In order to move quickly, the City is proposing to use planters, barriers, platforms and paint to widen the pedestrian zone and reduce the number of lanes of motor traffic. (The City has successfully used this strategy elsewhere to quickly narrow streets, such as on the Danforth). In some cases, the survey provides options to choose from. You can move through the survey quickly by simply indicating your strong support, or look more closely and provide comments – it’s up to you.
The impact of the plan on motor traffic will be minimal – just a minute of extra travel time at most. But the impact for people living in this area and for people walking on Avenue Road will be immense. Instead of a wide, fast, dangerous semi-highway, Avenue Road will begin its transformation into a normal major street, where local residents and visitors feel comfortable walking and can cross in safety, and motor traffic moves at a steady pace rather than racing through. This quick transformation will set the stage for a more fundamental makeover when the street is ready to be fully rebuilt in the future.
But again, it won’t happen unless you show your support. Staff and politicians pay a lot of attention to survey results – please fill in the survey noting your strong support for all the changes. Ten minutes of your time can help create positive changes that will last a lifetime.
- Complete the survey (open until Nov. 2)
- Attend the meeting (Thursday Oct. 19, drop in 4-8 pm, Timothy Eaton Memorial Church (West Assembly Hall), 230 St. Clair Avenue West)
